Little Moments
by orisitjustfantasy
Summary: The daily life of Zoe/Wade relationship with the highs/lows of their blooming relationship. Zoe POV. I will continue the story as long as it has readers. Review and subscribe if you like it! Thank you!
1. Come a little closer

"Dammit Zoe!" I heard Wade yell from across the pond. What was his problem now? I woke up and had to plug in my curling iron. While I was waiting for it to heat up I decided that I wanted a quick cup of coffee from my new Keurig. I didn't think he'd be up this early… it was only eight. So what did it matter? I know from his head lights that he got home from work last night on the later side of two am. That was why he couldn't sleep over last night, right?

Normally it would bother me that he didn't slide in bed next to me, even when it was that late. Wade had just been in a…mood… recently and I was trying to give him space. Our "relationship" had gotten off to a rocky start. I knew there was always a spark between us but at the same time we couldn't go five minutes without arguing with each other. I knew this before I decided to start sleeping with him but if you had ever seen him with his shirt off too then I think you would understand. Not only was he stupid hot with his shirt off, but he was honestly the best sex I've ever had. Not that I would EVER tell him that. I would never hear the end of it.

I stuck my head out the window and yell over at Wade "Sorry! Why are you up anyway?" It was just conversation until I heard him mumble "Don't worry about it" and walk out his front door. I assumed he was going over to Lavon's to have breakfast so I thought I would follow him over there. After all, it would be out of routine not to.

"Mornin' Yall" Lavon practically whistled at us. How in the world was he so happy in the morning? Anyway, it didn't last when Wade just walked by him towards the refrigerator and I gave him a quick wave as I passed by following Wade. When Wade got like this I never knew how to react or what to do. It's not like I'm not used to it, last year he was mad at me more than not. We've come so far from that day in the woods with his brother Jesse and I overheard that still hurts my stomach to think about.

"What is wrong? What did I do?" I was almost whining. Even I didn't realize I cared this much. Wade was just a distraction, right? What was his problem? I thought we were on the same page. I mean thinking about to the night of George's wedding I do remember all of this being his idea. He interrupted my thoughts with something that shocked me "Why do you care?" Why wouldn't I care? We're friends. Monogamous friends. That's right, it's a thing. "I care because… because I do. Why do you all of the sudden think that I don't care?" I was almost yelling. "Because you seemed to care a little too much when I told you Golden Boy didn't care about us" Okay, now he was yelling. I looked over at Lavon, he was staring awkwardly and looked more than a bit confused. Not slow to catch on though he threw his hands up and walked out of the room yelling "It's my kitchen, yall have your own houses you could be havin this little lovers squat in".

"Zoe, there's really nothin to talk about" Wade moaned. He looked sad. Like I stole his puppy. Or in his case his Fender.

"Please don't be mad at me. I'm sorry for what I said or did to hurt you, I really am". I was begging, definitely begging. Wait, when do I beg Wade for anything? When did I become that person? I think Wade could tell what I was thinking just from looking at my face because what he said next shocked me.

"Zoe, go out with me. On an actual date. Let me take you out. Please" Wow. What a morning. Where is all of this coming from? He leaned up against the counter with his arms folded across his chest. He was staring at me with intent and determination. I didn't know he felt that way about me. I thought it was one sided. I didn't intend to have actual feelings for him but something about Wade grows on you. He's an acquired taste.

"Zoe?" he questioned. I zoned out again. I keep getting stuck in my own head, it's getting worse than usual.

"Why though? Since when do you want to date me" I was getting defensive. I had convinced myself he didn't want to date; after all he started out by telling me as much when he made it clear I was just a B minus in bed.

"Why wouldn't I? I've wanted to date you since the day you came marchin' into my house confronting me for blowing the circuit that first night you were here" he rebutted. "Lavon knew it, George knew it, for God sakes Zoe even Crazy Earl knew it. And then he told you he knew it". Wade was yelling. "I couldn't have made it any more clear, but you refused to see it because you only have eyes for Tucker".

"That is not true!" My voice was shaking. "I did, but I don't anymore! I can't be his rebound" I huffed.

"His rebound?" Wade snapped back. "That's the only reason you're not chasing after him? I get it now. I'm just a placeholder in your life. I always was"

I was beginning to see why he was upset. I couldn't handle seeing him converse with the blonde tile lady on his porch, how should he feel watching me get over one of his best friends? I had to fix it. After all, he was feeling this way because of me.

I reached down for his hands that had settled on the counter behind him. I never noticed how small my hands were when they were resting in his but I guess this is the first time outside of bed that we'd ever held hands. He was staring at our hands that were strung together and then eventually he looked up at me. At one time the silence could have been overwhelming but in this instance it was fitting.

"I'm sorry. From the bottom of my heart. I want you to give me a chance. I want to go on that date with you. It's only been four nights since you were last over but it feels like eternity" my voice was quiet, I was whispering and almost pleading to him.

His hands left mine but started sneaking around so he was holding on to me, resting his hands in the small of my back. We stood in silence but it felt comforting. Minutes later he asked "So when is our big date girl?" in that southern twang I had learned to love.

"Tonight? I don't care what we do. We can even go to the Rammer Jammer if you want, I just want to go out with you" I said as I looked up at him smiling. He leaned down and kissed me lightly on my forehead. Before I knew it his kiss had lingered down the side of my face and onto my jaw line and eventually into the crook of my neck. He was still holding on to me and now it was getting harder to breathe. This was all new to me…to us. We hadn't just been together, without sleeping together.

It was new, but I was inviting this feeling. I had no idea that Wade of all people was capable of showing this kind of affection. Come to think of it, Wade deserves more credit. Not just from me, but from everyone in Bluebell. I'm going to make sure that starts to happen.

Leaning more into his kisses I snuck my hands up his sides until they were resting around the back of his neck. He was so warm but I could feel the hardness of his chest. I went from affectionate to hot in about three seconds. I surprised myself with the light moan I let out but was even more surprised when I heard Lavon's cough behind me. Wade didn't even look up. When I turned around his hands kept me didn't leave my waste but if anything pulled me in tighter.

"Lavon Hayes sees that you two made up" he mumbled. "But no more making up in my house. Out!"


	2. Give it all we got tonight

**Thank you for the reviews to those who did! It's really encouraging and as you can see it pushes me into updating faster! Reviews/followers please =) I'm also thinking about adding some links either on my FF profile or tumblr with outfits Zoe is wearing in each chapter and maybe to songs that have to do with that chapters theme or etc, etc. What do you guys think?**

Wade would never admit it but he's a cuddler, especially after sex. Even after the first night we were intimate, he laid with me for hours afterwards. He's changed since our talk in Lavon's kitchen though. Call me crazy, but he especially can't keep his hands off of me right now. Trust me, I'm not complaining. He does it in the sense that he plays with my hair, puts his arm around me while we're watching a movie or kisses my forehead after making love. Every time. It's becoming what I look forward to most. Talk about making a woman feel special.

As I sit here and write in my blog, I can hear him snoring in the background. It's not enough to really notice, just a faint noise in the background. It's cute and it's something I've learned to appreciate after those couple of days that he wasn't here.

I know he works and when he gets here I ware him out some more before he finally goes to sleep, but it's so hard letting him sleep this long. I don't think I can do it anymore. That's why I close my laptop and crawl back into bed. Before I can even get fully under the covers he slung his arm back around my waist.

Is this home?

It lasted about two minutes before I was being planted in kisses again. Talk about frisky. His body is so warm from sleep. It feels amazing up against my cold skin. In just seconds Wade was leaning over me and smiling down at me. "I thought I got this skimpy little tank top off you last night" he said in that crisp morning after voice.

Before I could answer him it was flung onto the wood floor below and so were my shorts…

It was 12:30 in the afternoon before we made our daily visit over to Lavon's. Much to our surprise he wasn't alone. Ruby was there. I kept forgetting about that. Things were still a little awkward between her and I but we were making due. I glared at her until Wade elbowed me and Lavon obnoxiously coughed. Okay, she was making due with the awkward situation. I was trying but I'm just a little bit stubborn. Fine, really stubborn. It's not as easy for me to get over things as it is for other people. Even if that's what I want to do.

"Ruby, do you want to meet for dinner tomorrow?" I made the only effort I was going to exert. She smiled but followed it up with "I would love to Zoe but unfortunately I have prior engagements". Well, I tried. Good luck seeing any other gives on my part.

Before I was done drinking my coffee Wade had pressed me up against the kitchen island and was asking my when I got my new dress. Once I told him it wasn't new he replied with "Good Lord Doc, how much clothes do you own?" Instead of answering him I opted for distraction.

While finishing breakfast my mind began to wander. For the past couple of days I have been thinking of ways for Wade to know how important he is to me. Selfishly, I realized I don't know anything about him besides the basics that everyone knows. I know about Crazy Earl and the strenuous relationship he has with his brother Jesse. I know that his dream is to own his own bar and play guitar there. His favorite kind of beer is the stuff on sale and he bleeds Crimson and White. Maybe the perfect way to show him I care is to show him how much I want to get to know him.

The perfect way to do this is to just spend time with him and be with him which is perfect because it's what I wanted to do today anyway. I grab Wade's hand and pulled him to the pond between our houses where the rocking swing sat. He fell onto it and pulled me down with him. He was at what he wrongly assumed as "first base" before I knew what was happening…and when I put a stop to it he wasn't too happy.

"What happened to your mom?" might as well dive right into it I thought.

"Dammit Zoe" he scolded. I figured asking that question would bring up underlying tension but it had to be asked. I need to know him. Every part of him and it's been over a year without him mentioning her.

The silence felt eternal. "Cancer. About ten years ago now. Back in those days Crazy Earl was just Earl."

I ran my hand across his arm before linking my hand into his. "Tell me about her."

As I waited for him to answer I could see the wind blowing through his dirty blonde hair and his five o'clock shadow showing more of a 9 o'clock time. He was staring out across the field rather vacantly and I could actually feel the sadness I saw on his face.

"There's not much to tell. She was…the best mom Zoe. And she was beautiful. She was real smart, like you. Her name was Sarah. She's the one who taught me to play guitar. She played guitar and sang her own country songs. Mostly at the Rammer Jammer but every now and then she'd get a gig at some shack along the Gulf"

"Sometimes when it's real quiet I swear I can still hear her laugh in the wind. She would sing us to sleep every night… Moon River. That's why I sing that song, in case ya didn't know. I wish my dad could just move on. She's not comin back. She's gone".

I looked up at him and his eyes were filled with tears. Why hadn't I asked him about her before today? What was wrong with me? More important, what do I say to him? How can I possibly comfort him?

I decided on just sitting there with him still, resting my head on his lap while he continued twirling a strand of my hair.

"Ya know, Lavon's mom used to be my mom's best friend. Growin' up mostly I mean. They stayed pretty tight up until the end though. I guess that's why Lavon feels some need to look after me. No matter how many times I tell him I don't need his charity."

"Wade, Lavon's _friendship_ isn't charity. You know that" I instantly felt the need to convince him.

"I know Doc, it just feels like that sometimes." I guess I could see where he was coming from although in no way did I agree with him. They weren't friends, they were brothers.

"I wish I could have met your mom. She seems like she was a one of a kind." I mentioned.

"She would have liked you. You actually remind me a lot of her." he revealed. Initially I was insulted that he had compared me to his mother, but I almost immediately took it to heart as one of the kindest things Wade had said to me.

Before I knew it the sun was setting. An Alabama sunset was quickly becoming one of my favorite things. In just a couple of hours Wade had let me into his heart that frankly I didn't even know he had. He told me about his love of fishing and sports cars. His real dream was to travel the world and have the perfect family he exactly had. He wants to have a son first and then a couple of little girls.

"What about the long line of women that I've seen and heard about leaving the gatehouse?" I asked.

A couple of seconds later he came back with "Girl don't ya know you gotta kiss a lot of frogs to find your princess?"

I couldn't decide whether I should be insulted and honored. So I let out a slight laugh and dropped it.


	3. Lovin' you is fun

**You guys are awesome! What can I do to improve my story? Is there anything anyone wants me to write about? Also, can't say it enough… review review review! Thanks everyone! **

Maybe making Wade dinner was a bad idea. It's only been a couple of days since we made it official. Things are still new and we're obviously still in that playful part of the relationship where everything is exciting and rather carefree. Lavon is gone for the night…something about Ruby and a Bed and Breakfast near New Orleans. That was all that he mentioned. In my head it sounded like a perfect idea to make Wade a nice, romantic dinner. After all he had never seen me cook and I know he thinks I can't…especially considering the whole gumbo fiasco. This was the perfect opportunity to not only prove him wrong but show off my skills.

The plan was to make rosemary grilled chicken and roasted potatoes with fresh green beans. I made sure to buy him a good domestic twelve pack of beer to get cold in the fridge for over the weekend and even lit some candles. While I was cooking I thought a little background music could make cooking more fun. I realized I had tuned the radio to country instead of the alternative music like I usually do. I didn't know the name of the song but it was one that I had heard before and knew most of the words to. It reminded me of Wade and I wanted to remember the song so I pulled out my phone to "Shazam" it. "Lovin You is Fun" by Easton Corbin. I saved the tag and continued snapping the green beans. I guess it's true what they say, time really does get away from you while you're cooking. I thought I had at least twenty minutes until Wade got home since it was only 4:30 and he was off at 5 tonight, but I was wrong.

He must have tip toed into the kitchen because I let out a loud screech when I felt his hands snake around my waist and his soft lips touch the side of my neck.

"Did I scare ya Doc?" he whispered in an afternoon voice so raspy sounding I could have confused it with his early morning one. I replied, "Yeah and you probably shouldn't do that to a woman with a knife in her hands" laughing. "Zo, what are you makin? Or should I say tryin to make…" he said as if making fun of me.

"HEY! I am trying to show you a nice, romantic gesture. Not that _you_ would know anything about one of those." I started out serious but finished my statement with a small laugh as a way to mask my accidental snappy response.

"Hey, I'm sorry" he said while looking down at me. "I'm new at this too; I want to give you everything. Problem is I gotta figure out just what that is."

I couldn't possibly stay irritated with him. He was just being himself. I tried to comfort him by telling him it was new to both of us and we would learn as we go. Apparently it worked because he picked me up and set me on the counter and moved in closer to stand between my legs. The way he kissed me left me out of breath. His touch left me shivering. How had he been right in front of my face this past year and I hadn't even noticed? It still baffles me.

My thoughts were interrupted by his hands landing above my knees. They laid there momentarily until they started pushing my dress further and further up my legs until eventually it was resting right at my ass. By now I knew that the quieter Wade was being, the more trouble I was going to be in. Once he got going there was no stopping him until we were tangled up in each other…skin on skin. His fingers found their way between the top of my panties and my hip. I couldn't help but giggle when Wade was this turned on but then the giggling just escalated his behavior. I love the way he can be so silly and affectionate at the same time. The way his rough face rubbed against my neck tickled but felt divine at the same time. I could feel him smiling and laughing while he was kissing me.

My phone rang just as things were really heating up. I had to answer it and Wade knew that I had no choice, being a doctor wasn't always glamorous. It's especially not easy in this small town where you're constantly on call. I mumbled looked at the screen and muttered "Lavon" and Wade moaned a simple "Don't". I couldn't not answer it, what if something was wrong?

"Hi Lavon" I managed to get out, but my attention span was already diminishing rapidly. "Hey Big Z" he got out before I interrupted him. "Lavon, why are you calling me when you're _away_ with Ruby?" I asked. "Because I need you to watch Burt Reynolds. I forgot I had told the Belle's they could use the back field for practicing their dance for the Snow's Not Coming parade. Burt Reynolds probably won't be a problem but could you just make sure he stays a good distance away from them?"

"Yeah of cou—" managed to escape my lips before Wade attached himself to them again. I couldn't focus on anything with him planting kisses all over my neck and then back to my mouth again.

"Are you busy? I can call back later" he offered. I couldn't let him know what was happening in his kitchen but I didn't have it in me to walk away from Wade either. He was leaving me breathless and it was obvious when I came back with "Yeah Lavon I'll give you a call back later tonight" but it was barely understandable.

By this time Lavon must have knew what was going on. He was rambling about the weather in New Orleans and the football game from earlier in the day.

I started off trying to pay attention to him. I just couldn't though. The more and more he went talked, the less attention I had. An occasional "Mhmm. You're right" and an "Uh huh" rolled out of my mouth when I was able to notice a pause in his sentence. It was becoming more trying by the minute and I knew both Lavon and Wade were getting a kick out of it. Lavon must have knew the conversation was near its expiration date because he told me Ruby was waiting for him and ended with "Tell Wade I said hello". I almost choked.

"Don't you want to know what Lavon called for?" I questioned him but he responded with "What I really want to know is what that burning smell is." as he stepped away from me and took a wide look at the kitchen.

"Oh my GOD!" and I immediately hopped off the counter and ran towards the oven to save my chicken. It was too late. Not only did the rosemary chicken not survive but it took the roasted potatoes and green beans down with it.

I couldn't face Wade. I was still trying to chase the smoke away from the contents of the burnt pans from the oven when I noticed Wade's bullying laugh a few feet away.

"I told you I knew ya couldn't cook" he mocked playfully.

"_You_ distracted me. How in the world was I supposed to focus on dinner? It's _your_ fault I have the attention span of a goldfish lately. Everything was going perfectly until _you_ got home" I ranted back at him.

"Yeah it is" he commented but it clearly conveyed that he was more pleased with himself than sorry.

"Points for trying?" I begged.

"I guess I could do that. Who knew you even had an attempt at cookin dinner in ya" he laughed. "Can you feed me then? I am so hungry I think my stomach is trying to eat itself" and Wade laughed.

"Eat itself? That's a new one. Even for you" he said.

"I thought you'd like that one. Pizza?" he asked. "That sounds amazing" I replied over the sound of my growling stomach.

"What do you want on it?" he questioned while pulling out his phone. "I'm not picky, whatever you want is fine."

"Pepperoni, hamburger, bacon and mushrooms?" Wade offered. "Ew, no you pig. That's a heart attack waiting to happen. How are you so…toned… from eating pizza like that?"

"Ha, wouldn't you like to know Doc?" I heard him say followed by a small laugh. Cocky, but tell me something I don't know.

"_Anyway_. Can we just do pepperoni and mushrooms?" I needed something a little lighter than what he had in mind. "That's fine, guess you didn't want whatever I wanted on the pizza though Doc. Just sayin'." I laughed at him. "You're right."

About a half hour later a familiar face knocked on Lavon's door with our pizza. Frederick Dean. "Evenin'. Good to see you again Dr. Hart, Wade. Where's Rose?" he asked quizzically. "Rose doesn't live here" Wade laughed. I elbowed Wade and gave him a look I knew even he could understand. It worked and he shut up. "What Wade means is we haven't seen her for a couple of days. Are you looking for her?" He told me he had been calling her ever since their date but she wasn't returning his calls or messages. She must have finally lost interest in Frederick Dean. Most teenage crushes only have a short shelf-life anyway. "I'll let her know you asked about her next time I see her but I wouldn't worry too much about it" I told him. He gave me a polite smile and jogged back out to his car.

"I wonder why Rose suddenly lost interest in Frederick Dean?" I asked Wade. "Who cares? These teenagers boys don't know how to win over beautiful woman like grown men do" and followed it with another one of those cocky laughs.


	4. Nothin on but the radio

**Today is TUESDAY! New HOD!**

**Enjoy everyone... R&R and I will try to post a new chapter as soon as possible!**

**~Happy Reading~**

"I had one job while he was gone!" I laughed. I was just in the middle of telling Addie how unhappy Lavon was with me for forgetting to detain Burt Reynolds the other day while the Belle's were over. She thought it was hilarious but the look on my face had to have shown her that I disagreed. Cricket wasn't too happy to have to get her dress dry cleaned so close to the parade. Like me, she was so startled she fell back in the muddy grass trying to run away. I heard it was quite the show. "Oh honey, we all make mistakes. Especially when we got a hot man in our life like Wade Kinsella…"

And with that my phone buzzed again, this time with "I have Fri and Sat off work for once…can you get them off too?" I've been at work since 9 a.m. and Wade has been texting me since I had to sneak out of bed this morning. Luckily we haven't been too busy today and Brick is out hunting for the day. I don't understand why for some reason it's okay for him to check his phone and text at all times of the day when Emily texts him but I am forbidden from doing the same. And that was probably too harsh to complain about him and Emily now that she ended it between them. Not to mention Brick and I actually have been getting along a lot better recently. I couldn't help but feel bad for the guy.

"I'm not sure. I'll have to ask Brick and we both know how that will go." I sent back to him. Just a couple seconds later my phone went off again with "What's the worst that can happen? I need to have you all to myself this weekend. Besides, when will be our next chance?" He was right about that. I don't remember Wade having a weekend off since I've known him. I want to ask Brick, I just don't know how. He won't agree to working for me over the weekend…even though I had no problems covering for him today. Okay, truth is I just wanted him out of the office for the day. The fact that we have been actually getting along fairly well lately was making it hard to watch him be so heart broken. Though as his Doctor, I know the only thing that can mend a broken heart is time.

I decided that since my next appointment was for Sheila Whitaker wasn't until 2 p.m. I could call Wade and see what he was doing. It rang for about two seconds before he picked up.

"Hey Doc." He greeted. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, I just wanted to talk to you" I told him. "Is it 5:00 yet?"

"Not even close, but I wish it was. You comin' out for dinner tonight? We got a new grilled salmon salad on the menu that I think the entire town of Bluebell is savin' just for you". He laughed like he had been saving that one for me all day.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. Just because I don't want to fall into the grease trap the rest of this town is in apparently means I'm the bad guy" I maintained. "On a better note, if I do get the weekend off, what do you want to do?"

I heard him chuckle on the other end which made my cheeks fill with embarrassment. I'm not used to just talking about my…sex life…so nonchalantly. Not that I don't appreciate all of the affection and interest he loves to give me, because I definitely do. It's just still so new.

"But really Doc, you can't just keep me captive all weekend. You have to give me some time to breathe ya know. Dash gave me two tickets he had to a Civil War reenactment just outside of Mobile. I was thinkin' maybe you wanted to head down that way for the weekend? We could check out that new bistro you told me about a while ago too. And if you're real nice I might even let you hit up that new mall you've been talkin' about…I guess I could use a couple new shirts while we're there."

Is this Wade making some sort of romantic gesture? I don't know what to make of it and hear myself let out a giggle of confusion but excitement. "Yes! I'll call Brick as soon as we hang up. That sounds like so much fun Wade. How long have you been thinking about all of this?" I asked him, more impressed than anything.

"Not long, just thought it might be fun" he told me.

"I agree and I can't wait" I chimed back before hanging up.

Not a minute after I hung up my phone buzzed again and I read "What color panties are you wearing? ;)"

I knew it wouldn't last for long but it his passion is part of his charm…I laughed to myself and responded with "Why would I wear any panties?" and didn't hear from him until I saw him for dinner at the Rammer Jammer where I told him this weekend was a go.

_***The next day in Mobile***_

"I just thought since this was something that Harley was so interested in that you might want to see what it's all about. It's pretty cool actually. It seemed like he knew it all when it came to 'Bama history…" he said. "He was actually a cool guy. Took care of my mom up until she died and has always looked over Crazy Earl just like he would his own family. I respected him a lot. Up until you got here it just wasn't the same havin' Brick be the only doctor in town."

"Well I'm here now. I had no idea you knew Harley." I told him.

"You didn't know I knew Harley? I don't think there's anyone in Bluebell I don't know. It's a real small town in case you haven't noticed Doc." He teased.

"Guess I just didn't give it much thought." I started to ask him what else he knew about Harley when he interrupted "The Battle of Mobile Bay was actually one of the most well-known battles of the Civil War. Lotta people don't know that. There's about a 90-mile trail of Battles that happened throughout the Bay. Over a 150 were killed and over 150 others were wounded right here."

"Wade, I had no idea you had such an interest in history." I said as I looked up at him smiling while baffled but impressed none the less. "Well don't get too excited girl, you should be used to me droppin' knowledge on you like this." He chuckled and followed it with "But actually I only know this because as a kid George, Lemon and I would come and see Harley, Brick, Crazy Earl and some others from Bluebell in one of their annual Civil War reenactments. Brick was always set on playing a Confederate but Harley just liked the history of it all. He took pride in being able to show the reenactment fairly. Ya know we don't get a whole lotta' townsfolk volunteering to be Yankees down here as you could probably imagine…" He reminded me and I laughed. He had a point. I couldn't picture Brick reenacting the battle as a northerner without laughing at his likely blatant refusal. "Ya know one of my favorite parts of the reenactment was when out of nowhere and over all of the shootin' and cannon firings, Brick who was acting as David Farragut, the Confederate's commander, would scream "Damn the torpedoes!" just like the old legend and come screaming at Harley. It was the best part of the whole thing." He was full on laughing now and I couldn't help but join him at the thought of it all.

I love hearing Wade tell me all of these old stories. It's a side of him I've never seen before. It just leaves me longing to know my real father and the family that comes with him. I didn't get to be here during all of that, or any of it. I can't help but think about how I never knew Harley and never will. "I guess I'm just jealous." I told him, making my best "not impressed face". He wrapped his arms around me like he already has gotten quite accustomed to doing and began comforting me. Just being in his arms is already enough but what he said next made all the difference, "I know it's not easy but you were lucky he found you when he did. That's why you're here and why we get a chance together. You're in Bluebell which I know isn't your first choice, but you've been given a chance and I think that's great. Make the most of it and be thankful for everything you do have." He was comforting me and it was nice. It was working but at the same time I couldn't stop the tears warm tears from spilling down my cheeks. It's impossible to know how to feel or what to do when you miss someone you've never quite met. He is right though. Staying in Bluebell and working at his practice are what is bringing me closer to him. I nestled my head onto his chest and he just held me until the tears dried.


	5. Your man

**Some new Zade! This chapter is incredibly fluffy and just something to hold my story over while I think about where I want to take it next. The next chapter is about their first Christmas together…but I'm also working on a new Zade story to do in addition to this one. I will probably be posting the first chapter of that on Sunday. **

**Side note: I wanted to do something different with the chapter names so I titled each chapter with a country song that kind of goes with the chapter. **

**Joyful reading! **

**~As always I beg you to review~**

Lately, I've been in the habit of eating dinner and lingering at the Rammer Jammer during Wade's shifts. We tried the whole thing where I wait at home but with him texting me the whole time he was gone Wanda suggested I just come in and eat dinner. After that it just escalated from there. It works out great for me because I get to see him all the time. It doesn't work out great for the rest of Bluebell because his service is starting to…lack.

"WADE! I've been waitin' for my beer for ten minutes now. Come on son." One of the usual's hollered across the bar. Wade muffled something about patience and told me he would be right back. I don't know where it came from but before he walked away I mumbled a quick "I'll miss you" and gave him a peck on the cheek. They promptly turned red which left me pretty proud of myself.

When did I become this person? It's a welcomed change but something so different than I've ever been before. I've never loved anyone before. I've certainly never missed anyone while they walked to the other side of the room. I think this is happiness. Wade seemed happy too. I love seeing him constantly smiling. The only frustrating thing about all of this is that it took us (me) so long to figure out.

Wade came back with a small order of chili fries for me. He held them just out of my reach until I gave him the kiss he wanted. We've only been in this _actual_ relationship for a couple short weeks but clearly I'm becoming way too comfortable. When I first got to Bluebell I couldn't even eat the catch of the day. Here I am now scarfing down an order of chili fries of all things… and past seven o'clock!

Maybe there is some truth to the idea that once you're in a relationship you kind of "let yourself go". I thought I was the only one until Wade swooped in trying to take one of my fries. He doesn't normally eat the best, but definitely better than most of the Bluebellians. Chili cheese fries aren't in his normal diet either. There's just something about our relationship that is making me more comfortable in my own skin. I guess I feel like I can finally be me.

Wade went to take that one chili fry that has the most chili on it right in the middle when I couldn't resist scolding him "Hey! Mine." And then I watched him slowly put the whole french fry in his mouth. There's the Wade I know. He couldn't stop laughing and once I started thinking about it, I realized it was kind of funny. We are the couple that bickers over fries.

A few minutes later I was laughing at the way he was rolling up the silver ware napkin wraps when Mr. Maynard came out of nowhere and we heard him clear his throat. "Wade, you got two customers down at the end of the bar with empty glasses and the bar needs to be restocked. Dr. Hart are you distracting my main man again? Just couldn't help yourself huh?" He finished with a slight laugh.

"I'm so sorry Mr. Maynard. I can go…I'll try not to distract him at work so much anymore" I promised.

He said "Look, don't worry about it. My wife always told me us men couldn't multitask but I never believed her til now" laughing. "That woman is always right. Don't go tellin' her I said that though."

Shelly walked by on her way to the kitchen and put her hand on my shoulder "Lucky you caught him on a good day" she giggled.

I was just about to go home and let Wade really get to work when a man about my age sat on the stool next to me. "Hi. I'm Walt." he introduced as he held his hand out. "Dr. Hart." Except instead of shaking my hand like a normal person would do he just let it linger a little too long for comfort. It caught me off guard and I didn't instinctively show uncomfortable it made me feel.

"So a doctor, huh?" he questioned.

"Yeah, surgeon actually. GP for now." I told him.

When I told him that I'm a surgeon he looked at me like I had two heads. There's nothing more attractive to a woman than transparently wondering how she is so successful.

"Well I thought I could woo you by telling you I'm an orthodontist but you clearly have me beat Dr. Hart" Walt laughed.

"Yeah. That might make all the other girls in Bluebell swoon but it's not gonna work on me" I almost scolded.

Now he was even more shocked than when I told him I'm a doctor. Unbelievable.

"Let me buy you a drink. I think you just need to loosen up…you're in a bar for Christ's sake" he said but now his tone was judgmental, snappy, and all together rude.

I didn't think it was possible to roll my eyes more than I have in the past five minutes. That's even counting the first time Wade blew out the power with his Guitar Hero on my first night in Bluebell. At least I didn't think it was possible until he opened his mouth again.

"Bartender!" Walt obnoxiously hollered across the bar. As if that wasn't bad enough, he then snapped his fingers at him. Wade walked down to our end of the bar with a look on his face scarier than I've ever seen. If I were Walt, I'd be scared.

"Yeah. How can I help you?" Wade ranted angrily.

"I'll have one…or should I say my lady friend will have another, and I'll have a Guinness." He ordered pretentiously and not to mention assumingly.

Instantly I felt my face heat up with anger, it must have been redder than hell. Although I'm sure that it pales in comparison to Wades after that last request.

"Excuse me? Your lady friend? You only just met me. What makes you assume that just because you're an orthodontist… by the way… ew… that you can get any woman you want?" I shrieked.

"I'm used to getting what I want, and I already know that I want you." And I just decided he is the definition of pompous.

I looked across the bar at Wade and his jaw was just hanging open. His face that I thought would be covered with anger was being taken over by awe and a smile.

"Sir, I don't think this lovely lady wants you to buy her a drink. And I reckon you choose a different stool. Or even better, a different bar" Wade taunted.

When Walt got up to leave he knocked the bar stool down behind him just like a child would.

I reached over the bar and smacked Wade. "Way to have my back, _Wade_." I mocked. "Have your back? I didn't need to. You told him off all on your own" he boasted. "Good girl" he praised. Good girl? This was something that in the past would have been utterly offensive to me but was now a turn on coming from Wade.

"Good girl? That's not what you were saying last night if I remember correctly" I told him playfully. "Well I don't remember you being a very good girl last night. In fact, I remember you being quite the lit—" he began to reply but was cut off again by Mr. Maynard.

"Wade." Mr. Maynard reminded and with that Wade got back to work and I figured I should let him focus. I just smiled at him as I walked out and instead of smiling back he looked up at the clock and followed that up with a sulking face. It was incredibly cute and incredibly Wade.

To kill time I was going to go watch Lavon play his pre-bed video games and wait up for Wade but I forgot Ruby would be over there. So much for that idea. Instead I opted for knocking one off my Netflix queue. The top of the list was Twilight. It is not a movie I would normally even think about watching. Rose had been asking me. She has been asking me over and over and over. Wade and I have skipped over it a couple of times with him saying "I'm putting my foot down. Absolutely not. No. No Twilight. I will not be that guy." and I've decided to pick my battles. Can't win them all, right? I'll just watch it while he's at work.

What is this fascination these kids have with vampires anyway? Or should I say _vegetarian_ vampires? I don't know. They're so weird. Just after Bella almost got ran over in the parking lot, I fell asleep.

Wade must have gotten home shortly after that because I woke up to him popping off the top of his beer. I looked at him and then at the tv. He was watching the end of Twilight. After that I just stared at him. "Really?" I questioned.

"I don't know, Zoe. It was on." He laughed. "Uh huh. How was the rest of work? Did that guy stay for mu—" but I was cut off with his "Shh, it's almost over" and soon his uncontrollable laughter started. He was being serious. With that I climbed on top of him and started "shushing" him uncontrollably. It's safe to say he forgot about watching the end of Twilight.


	6. I'd love to be your last

**Hello again everyone! I appreciate the feedback. Just another fluffy, fun chapter :)**

Wade and I practically living together has been an experience all in itself. I knew that he was messy, unorganized and sometimes even dirty. I mean I've been in his gatehouse before. He has taken it to an all new level here. He uses my espresso machine and leaves his empty coffee mug. His socks are never by each other and randomly spread out throughout the house. He doesn't make the bed in the morning even though he's the last one out of it. That's why I've decided to train him. I've gotten him to put the toilet seat down after more than one argument that started with me falling ass-down in the toilet. I'm evening trying to talk him into making the bed in the morning.

"Wade! You don't even have to really make it, I am just asking you to pull the covers up so it looks somewhat put together. Is that really asking too much?" I questioned him playfully but was being serious at the same time. "No, Doc. It's not too much, but when you combine that with all of your other chores it becomes a lot. Can you just pick a few for me to do?" He chuckled.

"Ok, they're not chores. Just a couple of things I'm asking you to do to make me happier. Please?" I was almost whining now so I thought why not throw my sad pouting face I know he can't resist.

"Zoe, why do you always bring in that face? You know I it's not fair." He argued before pulling me down to straddle his lap where he was sitting on the couch.

"However ." He began with his hands on the small of my back which were slowly finding their way under my shirt… "If I'm going to start doing all of these things for you, could you please try to pick up all of your hair in the bathroom? I don't understand how someone as small as you can possibly shed that much hair. Where does it all come from? I mean really." Wade shook his head in shear disbelief.

"Fair enough Babe" I laughed. "Babe?" he raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, Babe. I just thought I would try it. You don't like it?" I asked, giving him my sad face again. "Nah, I love it, Cupcake." Wade responded while practically cracking himself up. Fine, no more cute nicknames for him.

I just stared at him and waited until he was done laughing. But by then his face made me laugh and this went on for a while until his hands lingered even further up my shirt. We were both still laughing about it for a while but eventually his laughter faded and he had managed to maneuver my tank top up off my shoulders. I was sitting on top of him in just my bright red bra and short cut-off jean shorts.

During the next few minutes he just stared at me. I was looking right back at him and for a moment I actually felt lost in his eyes. I've never felt as connected to someone as I did in that moment, but at the same time I just wanted to be inside his head to know exactly what was going on in there. He had a face that looked strong. He put a smile on every day. All while taking care of his Dad and struggling through the loss of his Mom, he seemed to manage. You can see all the pain he's endured in his eyes. His life might not be where he imagined it would be, but I think he enjoys it nonetheless. For him there's nothing that a cold beer on the porch while watching the Alabama sunset won't cure. After a while, in a serious tone that I haven't often even heard him use he said "You are so beautiful." He was gazing at me when the smile on his face dissipated and his face showed his sincerity. It was the most genuine compliment I've ever received.

There was nothing I could have said, no thank you I could have mustered and nothing that would have been more appropriate to reciprocate that other than to show him how I felt. My hands found the sides of his face as I locked lips with him. I feel safe with him in a way that's completely new to me. I feel stress free and even care free with him, both of which are feelings I have never let myself feel before.

My addiction to Wade has become even stronger lately. I feel the constant need to touch him, kiss him and be consumed by him. The feelings are so strong that I can't bring myself to even break from his kiss. I stayed wrapped around him for what felt like hours before he scooped me up into his arms and carried me to bed. He unhooked my bra and pulled off my shorts and panties as soon as he laid me on the bed. He went to settle on top on top of me while I quickly pulled off his white t-shirt. His chest was rock hard and hovering just above me. He was kissing me like he has in the past when we've made love, but rather he was settled on top of me and just holding me close to him. His lips were nestled on my neck and travelled down to my chest, then eventually back up to meet my lips again. Our lips were swollen from it all but we didn't seem to be stopping anytime soon.

This has become my favorite place to be, underneath Wade…beside Wade…on top of Wade. By the time we finished it was dark and late into the night. I'm completely exhausted but I can't imagine the night ending. We haven't done much else tonight except be with each other, though it is a night I will never forget. Wade's warm body engulfs mine as he tucks me into his arms and the rest of my body into his.

I reached onto my nightstand to get my cell phone and set my alarm clock. Eight o'clock in the morning was far too early to get up, especially knowing Wade didn't _have_ to be up until one or two in the afternoon at the earliest. He usually got up earlier than that but at least he had the opportunity to sleep in.

I faintly remember hearing the buzzing of my alarm followed by Wade's inaudible grown at the sound. I felt him reach over me and shut off my alarm, yet I did nothing about it. The next thing is just waking up and looking at the time, seeing that it's just past ten. It took around three seconds for me to freak out about being late for work but only three more seconds for me to decide that I didn't care. Brick was there and I was going to take a personal day. My phone showed two missed calls from him, so I shot him a text telling him I was up all night sick and wouldn't be in. He replied "ok" quickly and I went back to sleep. We finally both woke up around eleven am.

"Good morning beautiful" he mumbled as he pulled my hair out of my face. With that I turned around and gave him a lingering kiss, "Good morning."

"How did you sleep? Wait, why aren't you at work?" Wade looked at me, puzzled.

"Personal day." I told him with a yawn.

"I love your personal days Doc." He offered as he cracked his signature smile.

"I just thought we could relax today. If you wanted. Maybe stay in bed all day?" I smirked.

I was barely able to finish my sentence between he had rolled me on top of him. Our warm, naked bodies were pressing against each other but this time it wasn't sexual. We just laid there. It must have been ten minutes later when he asked me what I wanted out of all of this. This relationship? I wasn't sure if it was his insecurities talking or just general curiosity. It wasn't something I had necessarily thought of exactly before, but I liked the idea of it.

"I want you. I know that. There's no other way I can imagine my life now" I said as I rubbed my hand over the shadow on his face.

"Forever?" He asked. "Forever and ever." I promised him.

"I love you Zoe." He vowed in a way that clearly came from his heart. I wasn't expecting this, but it was perfect.

"I love you more." I promised.

With a smile covering his face he asked me what my thoughts are on marriage in general and for us possibly in the future are. I told him how I love him and I want to be with him for forever. I told him how I didn't want to scare him, but I've already thought about what it'd be like to be married to him. I explained the life I've imagined us having and the house we will build together and the family we will build. I even told him about the dog I imagine us having and the family vacations we will take.

His face showed complete shock in a way I didn't expect. "What?" I asked him. "What's wrong?"

After a brief pause he said "I just didn't think you had thought about it. You're a closed book sometimes." He told me how he knew he loved me from the moment he met me, how he had actually experienced love at first sight. Wade asked me why I chose him. I responded the only way I knew how, "Because we're soul mates."

**Please review to let me know what you think :)**


	7. Gimme that girl

**Sunfiresarah, daisesndaffidols, Tigger23, Celia Toma, CAS, Catateme9, merdarkandtwisty, miriamy, Uika, Ale, LoneStar, Mollie, Paper Angels, brandnewstart, shezz05… Thank you SO much for all of your positive feedback. Every time my phone goes off with another review/favorite/follow it absolutely makes my day! You are all awesome and I would have quit long ago without you. **

**Side note: If you haven't already then check out my other HOD story Our Lifetime of Christmases when you get a chance!**

**Disclaimer: I may own every season of Friday Night Lights on DVD but I don't own anything from Hart of Dixie.**

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How in the heck am I going to make it through today at the office? I couldn't help but stare at the agenda and my lack of patients. Overall, I haven't been doing too badly… a lot better actually. I've been bringing in a steady 40% of the patients which is increasing every month. Brick and I have been getting along and Lemon has even been civil when she's come in to visit him.

The problem isn't _my_ lack of patients though, it's the _practices_ lack of patients. No one is sick today and it isn't looking like anyone will be coming in any time soon. Brick being Brick had already decided to ditch work for the day after a half an hour of sitting in an empty office. He took the on-call pager but I don't see him responding to it until after five so I'm pretty much stuck here. Going even the eight or nine hours that I'm at work I can't help but miss Wade and end up texting him throughout the day. This time it was almost purely out of boredom though.

Z: _Hey. Are you up yet?_

W: _Been up. Fixin to mow the plantation for Lavon and got a few other jobs he wants me to do while he's out of town at that conference thing._

Z: _You should take a break for lunch and come to the practice?_

W: _Yea…I'd like to come practice ;)…do you want me to bring lunch?_

Z: _I was hoping you would : )_

My game of Sudoku was interrupted by Wade coming in a lot earlier than planned, though he didn't bring lunch and he was accompanied by George. He had blood dripping down his arm and a towel wrapped tightly around his hand.

"Baby what happened?" I questioned as I dropped my pen and jumped up out of my chair. "Nothin' serious Doc, don't worry. Just a cut." He promised.

I was scrambling for my first aid supplies and shaking. "Just a cut? It looks like you'll need stitches at the very minimum."

"Zoe, calm down. It's just a cut. It was worse when I cut myself at the Rammer Jammer. Remember?" He said very articulately, trying to calm me.

I took a deep breath before I said anything else. "You're right, it's not bad. You just scared me."

George interrupted us, "I have to be in court in less than an hour. You two alright from here?" he asked.

"I promise I'll take care of him" I told George and Wade gave me a small wink out of the corner of his eye.

"Thanks, Tucker. You're a good pal." Wade told him. I sensed sarcasm but didn't know why so I let it go.

I splashed rubbing alcohol onto my cotton swabs and patted his cut. He panicked. "What the hell?" He jumped. "Damn. Ya couldn't have warned me Doc."

"Oh right. Bedside manner, it's still a work in progress. Sorry sweetie." I told him as I gave him a soft kiss.

"Uh huh." He agreed and laughed. "Besides, it's not my fault you're such a baby…baby" I teased and went to give him one more quick kiss only this time he grabbed ahold of me and stole a couple more.

"Wade! How about you kiss me after I stop you from bleeding out? I have to give you stitches. It shouldn't hurt too bad. I'm going to give you a local anesthetic to numb the pain."

I started suturing his hand and he was watching me do it. I've never understood people who watch as they get their blood drawn or get sutures. The thing with me is that I know exactly what they should be doing and I get nervous they aren't doing it right. It must just be the control freak in me.

The sutures only took me a couple of minutes. "I'm going to prescribe a couple days worth of Tylenol 3's, only because regular Tylenol's might not be strong enough. How do you feel?" I finished by asking him.

"Great. Don't hurt a bit." He promised as he jumped off my table. It was only eleven am and too early for lunch but I didn't want him to leave. Especially now because I was worried about him being alone at home even though most of the local anesthetic had worn off.

I didn't want to tell him I was worried about him so I told him Addie was going to get us lunch before she left for the day and asked if he'd just stay for a bit.

Addie brought us back two spinach salads from Fancies. Wade was not impressed but sucked it up. He stayed until it was time for me to go home. We talked about our plans for Christmas and what family we wanted to spend it with. He told me he wanted to buy a house sooner rather than later and asked me what I thought of the idea. Eventually, I told him I'd decided to stay in Bluebell and was trying to figure out the best way to tell him but that I just couldn't wait any longer. He picked me up and set me on top of the table he was sitting on just a little while ago.

"Are you staying forever?" He asked me and it was the cutest thing in the world. I loved that he was always touching me somewhere whether it was holding me with his arms around my waist or shoulders or if he was just running his hands up and down my legs. Sometimes he plays with my hair which is quickly becoming my favorite.

"I'm staying forever if you want me to." I told him. He let out a sigh of relief and pressed his forehead up against mine and smiled.

It was the next day before I really saw him again. He had to go to work after we left the practice and I was asleep when he got home. We stayed at the main house while Lavon was gone, just as a change of pace. I woke up in the morning and he was still out cold so I decided to make Linzer Hart Sandwich Cookies. They're the best cookies in the world behind Black and White cookies. The recipe has been in my family for generations. Everyone in Bluebell knows that I can't cook but they don't know I can bake.

I had all of the ingredients out and pulled out the mixer. I had placed the butter into the mixer and was whipping it until smooth. While it was whipping I measured out the sugar to mix it into the butter for about five minutes. It's a tricky recipe that takes a lot of prep time and work, that's probably why the cookies are so good.

_Gimme That _Girl by Joe Nichols was on the radio and I was rockin out and maybe shakin it a bit when Wade came in. At the same time I was so busy concentrating on making all of the correct measurements for the cookies and Wade snuck up behind me. He snuck his hands around my waist and I screamed. Loud.

"That is NOT funny!" I turned around and told him off. He was still holding me and cracking up at this point. "Is this a private show just for me? And by the way, real sexy, Doc." Wade laughed as he wiped a white spot of flour off my cheek. I could feel my cheeks flush red.

I casually reached behind my back and grabbed a pinch of flour out of the canister behind me and flicked it at him. His jaw dropped and he had a stunned and amused look on his face. "Ha!" I belted as I tried to wiggle out of his hold because I knew him and I knew he was reaching over me for more flour. His grip was getting tighter and before I could duck under his arms I had a face full of flour. I grabbed just as much and not only did I covered his face with it but most of his body was a powdery white too.

He took a deep breath and blew most of the flour off my face and I did the same for him. We were both laughing and having way too much fun in our flour fight.

"Girl Lavon's gonna kill you." He teased as he stepped back and took a look around the messy kitchen. "What are you making? You don't know how to cook." He asked as he raised an eyebrow at me.

"I know how to bake, you just never asked." I told him quietly. "I didn't ask because I assumed…but I love cookies. What kind of cookies?"

"Linzer Heart Sandwich Cookies. Hart… get it?" I asked being silly. "You are such a dork. Come here." He picked me up to set me on the counter like he likes to do so much but I wrapped my legs around his waist instead.

"Dr. _Hart_" he said in a deep and lusty voice. First backed me up into the wall connecting the kitchen and living room where I pulled off wife beater. I ran my hand over his gold necklace he wears so often and set it back down on his chest. My lips were attached to his until he pulled my blue cami up over my head. His hands slid down to my ass and it left me out of breath. I tightend my legs around his waist and he led us to Lavon's new couch. He laid me down on it and fell down right onto me laughing. He was still smiling as he found his way into the crook of my neck and his hands ran through my hair. Just as my hips were arched up and he was pulling off my pajama pants we heard a key in Lavon's front door. Wade jumped off me and I pulled my pajama pants back up.

We were still sitting there by the time Lavon got in an he had a knowing and appalled look on his face.

"On my _new_ couch? Really?" he belted.

Caught.

I knew my face was covered in embarrassment but Wade's was just showing more of a pleased look. He had a shit-eating grin on his face and put his arm around my shoulders.

"How was the conference thing?" He asked Lavon.

"Lavon Hayes's conference was cancelled, that's why I'm home early. I just bought that couch three days ago! I haven't even sat on it yet and yall had to go and Christen it." He mumbled, ranted really.

"We were about to Christen it but you just had to come home, thanks Lavon." Wade complained, this time seriously.

"Out. Out of my house. You two need to get your own place. I'm over this." He grumbled when he pushed us out the door and locked it. We were staring back into the window trying to figure out a way to get back in and get some of our stuff when we saw him reach under the kitchen sink and pull out the Lysol spray.


	8. Chillin'

**I can't say thank you enough for following this story everyone. I hope you're enjoying it. **

**PS: I own a brand new tablet but sadly nothing from Hart of Dixie. **

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Wade walked into my office, shut my door and sat on my desk in front of me. He was staring off into space and I was about to ask him what was wrong. "…I got it" he told me. His face was covered in disbelief and he broke into a full on smile. That moment I knew he was talking about the loan to purchase the Rammer Jammer.

"You got it? Babe!" I started jumping up and down screaming before throwing my arms around him. I gave him a kiss that would make even a soldier going to war blush. Addie came running into my office and yelled "What's wrong?" before seeing us together and quickly closed the door on her way out. I locked my arms around his neck and my lips onto his. He picked me up and spun us around so I was the one sitting on my desk and he was pinning me against it. When he laid me all the way across my desk we heard my lamp fall off of my desk, followed by my phone and both started laughing. I knew I had no patients coming in for the next couple of hours today and Brick was out with Shelby like usual. I couldn't help but keep laughing at his excitement but I was going to let him have this right now since he had been waiting for today for so long.

Wade's dream was finally coming true. Mr. Maynard had finally saved up enough money to move to Miami and open up a new bar right on the ocean. He'd been saving up since he bought the Rammer Jammer and used it as a stepping stone. Actually, after hearing about all of this from Wade it made sense as to why he wasn't around too much. Since I had been in Bluebell, he had been in Miami scouting out plans for his new bar.

When Wade heard the news that Mr. Maynard was going to sell, he was devastated. He admitted to not knowing what to do next other than side jobs. He had opted to stay and take care of Earl instead of going to college when he had the chance and he didn't think that left him with many options. One night Wade, Lavon and I were eating dinner at the plantation when Lavon and I asked him why he didn't buy the bar? He told us he had thought about it before but since blowing his first interview with a loan officer he had let that dream go.

Lavon told him that if he could get another interview for a loan that he would still be willing to co-sign and I told him the same thing. Now it was three weeks later and his loan application was just approved. Mr. Maynard signed the bar over to him the next day and Wade's dream began.

He wanted to keep all of the same people working there and everything else basically the same. Since it was now his bar and his menu, he sparked it up a little bit with some of his favorite things. He finally added his new drinks to the menu that he was saving to be his recipes instead of Mr. Maynard's at the Rammer Jammer. The menu stayed basically the same besides the two new sandwiches he added and the polish sausage and sauerkraut he took off the menu. He complained every time someone ordered it and he had to smell it for the rest of the day. My favorite part of his changes was that he added my favorite salad just for me, my spinach leaf salad with goat cheese, strawberries, blueberries and slivered almonds. We both knew that I would be the only one ordering it but that made it even more special to me.

The past couple of days had been hectic for both of us to say the least. It seemed like up until Thursday everyone in Bluebell came in with some kind of ailment, whether it was a sore throat or the cancer I diagnosed Mr. Jeffries with. Wade had been working days doing more office work than his usual night shifts and had even hired a new part-time bartender to replace a few of his weekend shifts.

By the time we both got home from work we were exhausted. It was the first time since our relationship began that we actually had an argument. It wasn't even a big one and certainly not like the ones we used to have before we got together. I turned the a/c on and he wanted the windows open. That turned into him always leaving the toilet seat up and he retaliated with the fact that I take so long to get ready in the morning while he's just wasting time waiting for me to use the bathroom.

"If you don't want to wait to use the bathroom here then you can go all the way back to your house and use that one!" I shouted at him.

"Shit Zoe, all I'm saying is that you're not the only one who lives here anymore. Remember?" he asked. He seemed a lot calmer than me but the red in his face told a different story.

"I have to get to the bar in the morning now. I have stuff that has to get done and if I don't do it then I lose everything. I'll disappoint you, Lavon and the rest of Bluebell. I can't…let everyone be right about me… I can't screw this up." He confessed.

"Screw it up? Baby you're not going to screw it up. This is your dream, it's what you're great at. I'm sorry I haven't been as considerate about it as I should have been. I'm really sorry." I walked over to him and put my hands on his face.

"Hey, it's not all your fault. I mean, this is new for both of us. We'll figure it out." He promised and wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me into him.

The best part of our first fight as a couple was the making up we did after it. We were so busy making up that we didn't eat dinner and we didn't leave the house for the rest of the night.

Having the entire weekend off wasn't something we were used to. Since it was Saturday and Wade decided to spend the day with me and see how the bar would run without him there for the day. He asked me if I wanted to go fishing with him.

"Fishing?" I asked, nervously. "I've never gone fishing before and I've never ever been out on a boat before." I told him as I put my fingers up to my mouth where I would normally bite my nails when I get nervous, though I was trying so hard not to.

"It'll be fun. I'll teach you." He assured and offered me a small wink.

He gathered up his tackle box and even pulled out an old fishing pole for me he had. I had no idea how to fish but this time seemed as good as any. We headed down the old dirt path that left the plantation. Oddly enough I had never travelled down it since I knew it didn't go to town and had no reason to.

"You look cute in your little shorts Doc." He told me as he eyed me up and down while smiling.

I laughed and went to swat him away but he ended up sliding his arm around my waist and pulling me into him by the top of my shorts. He eventually pulled me up and slung me over his shoulder before smacking my butt a couple times and setting me back down on the ground to walk to rest of the way myself. We walked for what I would guess was half a mile before reaching a beautiful bright, blue lake. There was no one around and it was surrounded by pine, oak and even a couple willow trees. No wonder this was Wade's favorite place.

"This early in the morning the fish bite real good." He promised me as if he thought I would be bummed if they didn't. He grabbed my fishing pole and hooked it up with a line, bobber and some live bait.

When he handed it to me I wasn't sure if he was waiting for something to happen or what but I just stared at him.

"You have no idea, do you?" He chuckled.

"None. Show me?" I asked him with his favorite smile.

He engulfed me into his arms and showed me where to hold onto the fishing pole.

"I'm going to show you how to side cast first. The best way to throw out your line is to hold your right hand on the handle right above the fishing reel here."

"Like this?" I asked him, confused.

"Uhh, kind of. You need to hold it a little tighter so you don't toss the whole thing into the water." He laughed at me and finished with, "And now press and hold the release button here with your thumb until you cast your reel." He covered my hand with his holding the release button down.

"Now you just gotta turn your body to cast your reel. Hold your weight on your right side and spin a little back towards the water. Just like… this." He said as we tossed the line into the water. "And let go of the release button."

It looked like we did it but I didn't know if that was all there was to it. "Is that it? It's that easy? I can do this." I boasted. "Well, you still gotta catch the fish there Doc." I laughed with him and gave him a little elbow into the chest.

"So what do we do now?" I asked just after he threw his fishing line out into the water.

"We wait." Wade replied as he twisted open a beer and handed it to me. He set his pole down on the ground for a minute while he laid out the blanket that he brought in his sack.

"Isn't it a little early? It's barely eight am." I asked him in disbelief. "Ehh, we're fishin' girl. Ya gotta drink beer while you fish. Besides, it's just one." I laughed and took a swig of the thing.

We sat in silence for the next couple of minutes. Even though I'd been in Alabama for over a year now, I'd never been this far removed. I could hear the birds chirping and the random splashing of fishing in the lake. I was busy absorbing it all when Wade pointed to the far distance, "There." I looked and saw two small deer. Deer! The only time I've seen deer was in the movie Bambi. I grabbed my phone and snapped a quick picture. "That is so cool." I told him. While I had my phone out I decided to take a picture of us… mostly me…fishing to send to my friend Gigi.

"Smile?" I asked him and he put his arm my shoulders and smiled facing down at my phone. It was a really cute…and the only picture of us but it worked. I sent it to Gigi with the text "Me… fishing. Can you believe it?" a couple of seconds later my phone buzzed back with "Oh honey…". I don't know why I thought she would be excited for me. I put my phone away and forgot about it.

"If you like this you need to try fly fishin" Wade told me out of nowhere. I was about to ask him what exactly that was when my fishing pole almost flew out of my hands. I grabbed it quick enough to keep control and he told me I got something. He resumed he position behind me and was basically controlling the pole.

"Baby reel it in! Here, jerk it back like this." He was so excited it was crazy. He pulled the pole back, jerking the fish in. We were reeling it in and I couldn't help but jump up and down with my bubbling excitement.

We pulled the last of the line onto the dirt below us and of course I didn't know what kind of fish it was. It was pretty big though.

"Catfish, nice." Wade said as he reached down and pulled the hook out of its mouth. He tossed it into his cooler.

"We're keeping it?" I asked him, petrified.

"Uhh, that's why you fish baby. I love you, you're so cute." He returned before realizing what he just said out loud.

"You what?" I asked him immediately. I was staring at him and I knew my mouth was hanging wide open.

His face was bright red. "Uh, I love you." He told me as he stared at me for a second and then his eyes darted out across the lake.

I knew I was taking a long time to respond but I was in disbelief. I've known that I love Wade for a while now but didn't know when I should tell him or if he loved me back even.

"I…love you too. Just so you know." I told him as I jumped up on to him and wrapped my legs around him. Our kisses were so strong that I could barely catch my breath. My arms were locked behind his neck and he laid me down on the blanket we were sitting on earlier. It seemed like we just kissed for forever before it escalated into something more. He was balancing his weight on top of me when I started pulling off his red flannel shirt. After I pulled that off I broke our kiss to pull his white t-shirt up over his head. I was moving towards the zipper on his pants when he rolled over so I saw sitting on top of him and he pulled my top over my head.

We were lost in each other for the rest of the morning. We didn't do any more fishing that day and eventually made the hike back to the plantation. I pulled him into the carriage house with me and we continued what we were doing out at the lake.

I was snuggled up into his arms staying warm and I didn't really want to move.

"I'm hungry." I told him while rubbing his chest.

"Me too. I'd cook ya something but I think Lavon is having a meeting at his house this afternoon and I don't feel like gettin' dressed. What do you think?" He asked.

"I think pizza. Delivered. How about you?" I asked.

"I think we should buy a house of our own with a kitchen. Soon. But pizza today." He told me. I was so excited that he wanted to officially live with me that I forgot all about the pizza.

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	9. Gettin' you home

**You guys are so amazing, I don't know how to thank you enough! I'm having so much fun with this story. Next chapter you'll hear a little more from Dr. Ethan Hart and there will be some other things that happen along the way! I love your reviews and look forward to reading your thoughts on this chapter. All of my favorite readers who loyally read and review every chapter like sunfiresarah, kojo, uika, daisiesndaffidols, lori23, justwriter2, shoutitall, wendy-strawberry, ashxmeadow, b3lla-mel-mel, celia toma, merdarkandtwisty, tigger 23, catateme9, miriamy, paperangels, brandnewstart you are all the BEST! I don't want to forget any of the new readers either. I love you too!**

**Oh and a little more than ONE week until the new HoD! Can't wait to see Zade in full on couple mode!~**

**Ps- I'm pretty sure I don't own any matching socks but I'm very sure I don't own anything from Hart of Dixie. **

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"What about this one?" Wade leaned over my shoulder and pointed to one of the few houses shown for sale in the Bluebell Gazette I was reading.

"That one is way too big. We don't need four bedrooms silly." I told him as I looked over my shoulder. He leaned in to give me a good morning kiss.

"Uh, yeah we do. All of our kids will need somewhere to sleep." He told me matter-of-factly.

"All of our kids?" I asked him, startled. "How many kids are you planning on having?"

"As many as you'll let me have, but three would be ideal. Anything else would just be a bonus." Wade laughed. He poured us both a cup of coffee and sat next to me at the kitchen island. The next thing I knew he was pulling my chair closer to his and we started looking at the houses together.

For the most part we actually had similar taste in houses. We both wanted a house with a big front porch, preferably one that wraps around the house. It would be even better if the house was secluded like the plantation is, we really didn't want to be right in downtown Bluebell.

I wanted Wade to have some kind of garage or workshop where he could have room to work on all of his projects. For me, I wanted a large kitchen. I know I don't cook, as of right now, but someday I hope to. Besides, down here it seems like the kitchen is the place where people gather most and I like that.

We both wanted an open floor plan. That part might be a little more difficult though because most of the houses I've been in in Bluebell are older and have very boxy feels to them. Last week we were approved for a mortgage from the bank, it was about what we were expected to be approved for too. Just the right amount for a home in Bluebell.

"Want to go lookin' at a few today?" He asked while interrupting my thoughts.

"Yeah that sounds good to me. But can I ask you something?" I asked him. His smile faded and his face showed concern.

"What's wrong?" He asked me and gave me his complete attention.

"I just wanted to make sure that this is what you want. I know we're not getting married right now or anything but buying a house together is permanent. Are you sure this is what you want?" I asked him. I just had to make sure.

"Zoe, I want to wake up next to you every single morning. I can't wait to sit in our own kitchen with you and make you breakfast. I want to sit on our front porch for hours just drinkin' beer and watchin' the sunset together. I want a house we can grow old and wrinkly in together and everything in between. There's no doubt in my mind that this is what I want. But just because I want it, don't mean you have to." He told me with a crooked smile that left a bit of his own insecurities showing.

"I want the same with you." I told him and leaned over to give him a quick kiss.

"You on board with Lemon being our real estate agent? I know about yalls…history." Wade laughed.

"Psh, yeah. I think we're past it. We're in a better place now. I texted her earlier this morning and we decided we'd meet at about two." I told him.

A little while later I was trying to get ready to go look at houses. All I had left to do was finish putting my make-up on and get dressed.

"Come on, Doc. We're gonna be late." I could hear him yelling at me from his new truck. I swear that man has no patience sometimes. Usually with me. We had plenty of time so I don't even know what he was getting so uptight about.

"Just a minute! I need to find something to wear!" I hollered back out. Instead of a reply I just heard him turn up the radio so I had at least three minutes before he hollered for me again. I tried pulling on my favorite black shorts but they were getting tight. Stupid southern fried food. Once I pulled those off I tried another pair that yielded the same results. Eventually I ended up just throwing my favorite blue dress over my shoulders and calling it.

A couple of minutes later though he honked the horn at me. Immediately I put my curling iron down and opened the front door. "If you EVER honk at me again, I will make your life miserable." I scolded as I stared at him until he threw his hands up in the air in frustration.

When I went out to the truck I slid in and slammed the door shut. I didn't look up at him or say anything because I knew if I did I would be yelling. "Zoe, I'm sorry. I just don't know what takes you so long to get ready. You don't even need to wear make-up. You look better without make-up. You do." He mumbled. I couldn't tell if he was just trying to get himself out of trouble or if he was being genuinely nice.

"Well that is very nice of you to say." I told him and smiled. He laid his arm across the seat behind us and I inched my way closer to him. We still had a couple minutes until we got to town. I laid my hand closest to him on his knee and rested my head on his shoulder. I used my other free hand to turn the radio up.

"How long do you think it will take us to find a house?" I asked Wade, smiling up at him. "Not long. Bluebell's not that big." He looked down and gave me one of my favorite quick kisses. I moved my hand up around the back of his neck and rested my other hand on his chest. I could tell that he was trying to focus on the road but distracting him was more fun than it should have been. I moved so my arms were wrapped around him and gave him another kiss. I was having a hard time letting him drive and he wasn't doing anything to stop me.

The next thing we knew there was a siren behind us. We turned around and saw Sheriff Bill in his cruiser. He got out of his car and Wade rolled his window down the rest of the way.

"What's goin' on Wade? Everything ok?" he questioned.

"Everything's fine. Sorry Sir." Wade told him in his most serious face.

"You just been all over the road…" He muttered and he peeked his head into the truck to quickly check it out. I was trying not to say anything and at this point I had slid back over to my side and buckled up again.

"Sir I don't want no ticket, don't want to cause no wreck. It's just hard to concentrate with her arms around my neck." Wade ended up telling him and I felt my cheeks flood with embarrassment. After that I quickly turned my head the other way and focused my sight out the passenger window.

"Yall drive safe. Dr. Hart, I suggest you let the man focus on the road a little more." He said with a stern face. "Absolutely." I assured him. He took one last glance through the truck and tapped the roof of the truck as if saying we were free to go.

"Hey Doc, maybe if you're wantin to distract me again then next time you should give me a warning so I don't almost go to jail again." He laughed and rolled his eyes at me.

As soon as we pulled into the driveway of the first house on the list we were bombarded by Lemon and her questions. "How in the world did you manage to get pulled over in Bluebell? What is wrong with you? Did you get a ticket?" She asked without taking a single breath.

"Lemon!" We both interrupted her at the same time. Wade went on with "Relax girl. Forget about it. It was just a misunderstanding."

Even though we were familiar with how fast gossip and news spreads in Bluebell, even we were surprised that Lemon had heard from someone in just five short minutes.

"Okay. Well… This is the first home you wanted to see. It's three bedroom, two bath. Nice eat in kitchen, hardwood floors." She really had her whole spiel down, I had to give her credit for that. I wasn't feeling the inside of the house though. It looked boxy and cluttered. It was definitely a fixer-upper, though I didn't really mind that because I have a Wade.

"The Boyd's took great care of the place." Wade mentioned to Lemon. I made a mental note to myself to ask Wade who the Boyd's were when we left.

"They did. There really aren't any projects you'll have to do to move in either, except maybe cosmetically… Zoe's probably got ideas of her own?" She politely smiled at me and threw out some ideas like how the kitchen would look nice panted a cream color and maybe with some new appliances.

Wade and I went our own way for the next couple of minutes and explored.

"The master seems really small. Don't you think babe?" I told him and opened the door to what I imagined was a closet but looked more like a hallway linen closet.

"It is kinda small. What with all your clothes and all. I'd have to add on another room just for your closet…" He ranted and I followed him down the hall to check out the other two bedrooms. They were even smaller. Wade and I just glanced at each other as if to say are you ready to go and went down to find Lemon.

She gave us a quick once over. "Yall don't look too pleased. I can find something else it just might take a little while. There's just not too much for sale here right now. Lord every other house I could find was smaller than this one." Lemon stressed, looking embarrassed. She was actually looking quite panicked.

"We have time. We want to find the right house." I tried assuring her that everything was okay and gave her a half hug. That's when she did her best Lemon routine and quickly composed herself.

"We might as well just go home though, because quite frankly the other houses are worse than this one." She started laughing and shooed us back to our truck. She made it back to her car in a hurry and held her hand up to the side of her face motioning for me to call her later.

"That was…odd." I told Wade, laughing.

"Every experience with Lemon Breeland is an odd one." He countered, shaking his head with amusement. "I was gonna go to the Rammer Jammer later to finish a couple of things up for the weekend. You wanna go, I can fix ya up something for dinner?"

"Sure. Sounds good. I could go for some fried pickles right about now anyway." I admitted and wasn't expecting the crazy stare I got from Wade. He must be getting used to it though because he quickly moved on and started making fun of the house we just toured.

"What about the purple kitchen cupboards? A little eccentric, even for Bluebell don't ya think?" I asked him.

"Uh huh. That house was a big ol' mess." And we both broke out into a fit of laughter.

We walked into the Rammer Jammer and were greeted by Wanda and some of the other townies. I took my usual stool at the corner of the bar and Wade went back into the kitchen to put our order in. When he came back he poured me a glass of Cupcake Moscato that I recently tried at Lemon's and have been drinking ever since. He even stocked it. Wade found himself a cold Stella and cracked it open.

The Rammer Jammer had a different feel to it since Wade bought it. It was somehow even more laid back. People were more comfortable with Wade around than the old owner I guess. I loved how Wade always had some kind of music playing in the background…something that Mr. Maynard didn't do. He also started having bands playing on Friday and Saturday nights. Tom Long talked him into giving him a time slot for his new comedy routine which went over pretty well too in my opinion.

Wanda set our fried pickles down on the bar and I demolished them. They're just one of the things that have grown on me since moving here. Number one I'd say is Wade, two is fried pickles. There's something about them that's so crispy and salty. I even had a hard time sharing them with Wade. Probably why none of my pants fit now.

I'd just finished eating when Rose came strolling in with her semi-new boyfriend Beau. I knew something was different when she didn't wave to me right away and didn't even come sit next to me. Actually I don't think she saw me. They came right in and sat on the same side of the booth. Their hands were locked together and within seconds they were in full on make-out mode. Oh to be a teenager again.

Wade must have noticed me staring at Rose. "Look at them goin' at it. They ain't come up for air since they walked in here." He laughed. He gave me a kiss and attempted mimicking Rose and Beau's kiss. "Wade!"

He gave me one last kiss before walking back into his office to finish a little paperwork before we left. After reading another text from my father wondering why I haven't been returning his calls I decided to do something to get my mind off him so I walked over and sat across from Rose.

"Hey, Rose!" I greeted, a bit too enthusiastically.

She slowly diverted her attention from Beau and clearly didn't know I was there.

"Zoe! When did you get here?" She sounded surprised.

"I've been here Rose, it's a public bar. We're in _public_." I told her as I gave her the stare down. I stifled my laughter for as long as I could before it escaped me.

"What is it they say down here? You're as red as a turkey gobblers wattle? Is that it?" I asked Rose as I was trying to think of the correct expression.

"There it is. The first time you've ever rolled your eyes at me. You're all grown up." And I stood up and patted her on the shoulder before saying "See ya around Rose. Behave." With a friendly wink.

There was about twenty minutes left until closing. The jukebox was playing country and a few people were actually up dancing. I was watching everyone when Wade must have noticed and pulled me onto the dance floor with him. _Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy _by Big & Rich came on. I think he was surprised I knew it but I'm not sure why. Both Wanda and AnnaBeth looked at each other and then started line dancing to it. They pulled me into their line and I knew that I actually knew the dance. I'd seen them do it a million times and even practiced at home before. I would never admit that part to anyone but it's true. It started off being something I wanted to learn to fit in down here better but then I started loving the dance and country music in general actually. Wades jaw was on the floor. He stopped dancing and was just watching me. It felt really good to see him smile like that.

After that it slowed down a little bit with the song _Love Your Love the Most _by Eric Church. It was one of my other favorites but because it was closing time everyone started to clear out of the bar. We stayed there, wrapped up in each other on the dance floor.

Wade walked over to the jukebox, hit a couple buttons and then locked the door on his way back. The Rammer Jammer was basically dark. It was lit up by a few strings of white Christmas Lights that hung all year around and a couple neon signs. After Eric Church finished Conway Twitty's _Slow Hand_ came on. It was the very definition of a country song. Not to mention for some reason it made me want to rip his clothes off. I could tell it was one of Wade's favorites. He had his hands all over me too. We had to consciously try not to end up naked on the floor of the Rammer Jammer.

"Marry me." He mumbled in between his kisses as he pulled my hair away from my neck and tucked it behind my ear.

"I thought you'd never ask…" I whispered to him. He slipped a ring on my finger that I didn't even know he had. Though honestly the ring was the last thing I cared about at that moment. We finished a couple more songs when _Gettin' You Home _by Chris Young came on.

"Funny this song came on, because all I'm thinkin' bout is gettin' you home..." He told me as he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder and locked the door behind us.

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	10. Forever and For Always

**I appreciate all of your loyalty to this story more than you know! It's been my favorite so far, I've easily had the most fun with it. Sad to say, this is the final chapter. If you've liked what you've read then check out the other stories I've done…add me to your author alert. I plan on writing many more Hart of Dixie fanfics in the future.**

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Wade and I had been looking at houses for about a month now. At this point we were really just waiting for more houses to go on the market. It took Wade a while to drill it into my head, but there never were many houses on the market in a town as small as bluebell. That didn't stop me from checking the newspaper and the internet every day for new houses. Even with having Lemon for a real estate agent, as thorough as I knew she would be, I still had to keep checking for myself.

Here we were looking through the paper again and sitting at the Rammer Jammer. Well, I was sitting and browsing through it and Wade was doing the schedule for the next week. Seeing this new man-in-charge side of him is nothing less than damn hot too. This must be the third time that he's tried to do his paperwork because the first two times I pulled him into his office with me.

With that thought my mind went back to last night when I leaned over the bar and asked him to meet me in his office. I couldn't help but laugh when I remembered his face when he saw me sitting on his desk naked. He looked like a school boy being asked to make out for the first time. Is interrupting him a third time one too many?

I was contemplating that and Lavon interrupted by pulling out the stool next to me.

"Yall know you can stay in the gatehouse for forever? I don't mind at all. If its space yall are worried about go ahead do more renovations. Add on a kitchen and another bedroom or two." He offered, this time reminding me that we could always renovate it to our liking. The offer was really nice but there's no way we could impose that much. It was already so nice of him to let us stay for as long as he has, let alone forever.

"Lavon. You know we love you, right?" I looked over and asked him. I could tell he didn't know where I was going with it.

"Yeah. And?" He asked and I could tell he was waiting to see where I was going with it. The only problem was that I didn't know how to break it to him.

"Well because we love you so much, we want to give you a little privacy. We can't really stay with you forever can we?" I was laughing because I knew the answer was no.

"But you can! I'll miss you both if you go. Wade's lived on the plantation for as long as I have and I've finally grown used to you stomping into my kitchen every morning, drinking the rest of my coffee and making me a salad to take to work every day." Lavon chuckled. It was good to be loved and appreciated, I was definitely glad it was mutual too. I mean I wish we could stay there forever, it just wasn't realistic.

I just stared at him. How do I break his heart and tell him it just wasn't going to happen? Maybe I'll just tell him that we'll think about him and that will pacify him for now?

"What if Lavon Hayes sells you the house?" Lavon asked me. Huh. If we buy the house and renovate it to what we need… that could possibly be an option, right? I never thought about it like that, and honestly Lavon put that option on the table before.

"I'll talk to Wade, but it's a long shot. He's the one who came up with the idea of buying our own house. But it's on the table." I promised Lavon and leaned over to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"That is really sweet of you Lavon." I told him and thanked him again for his generosity. I've never had a friend as genuine and caring as Lavon before.

It was seven o'clock before Wade walked out of his office ready to go home. He looked exhausted; he had to have been working all day. He left for work before I did this morning.

"Ready to go home?" He asked as he came around the bar and gave me the kiss I was hoping for. I couldn't help myself and reached my hands behind his head and tangled my hands into his hair to pull him closer.

"Oh baby! What was that for?" Wade asked me after he finally broke free from my kisses.

"For the flowers I got at work today…Shelly sure was jealous when she had to sign for them." I laughed. I was recalling her face when John from the flower shop told her they were for me and not for her from her new boyfriend Gabe. Honestly, I don't think I ever thought I'd got flowers from Wade so I couldn't expect her to think so either.

"I thought you'd like those baby. Can we go home?" He asked and his eyelids were dropping shut. I felt bad but needed to eat dinner, I thought he was going to want to eat when he finished work so I waited for him. There was definitely no food at home.

"Uh, actually sweetie…I was hoping we could stay and eat. I thought you'd be hungry. I'm sorry…I know you're tired." At that point I was rambling because I felt awful.

"Sure. What do ya feel like doc?" He asked and pulled up a seat on the other side of me after greeting Lavon finally. I know he's tired when he pulls a chair up at the bar to eat instead of finding a table.

Wanda came over to take our order and bring Wade a beer. One of the advantages to owning the bar is that they know what you order and you get great service. I think that's Wade's favorite part.

Wade was telling me about the rest of his day when Lavon interrupted to start to tell him about his house idea. Couldn't have been any of worse of an idea though. I know Wade appeared happy but he was just a second away from snapping so I had to interrupt Lavon. Now wasn't the time...

"Wade, so I was thinkin'…how about if yall m-" He started and there I went.

"Lavon, isn't Lemon waiting for you at home? That's what you told me a few minutes ago?" I asked and stared over at him with big eyes that I knew for damn sure said 'not now'.

"Oh yeah, you're right Big Z'. Talk to yall later." Lavon gave us both a smile, laid some cash down on the bar for his ticket and left.

"What was that about?" Wade asked me, confused. "

"What was what about?" I asked in return and he dropped it. That was a lot easier than I thought it would be.

When my salad came out I was regretting not ordering the burger and fries that Wade ordered. I stole one fry, and then another and one more before he noticed and then asked Wanda to bring me my own side of fries. I was happy with that and he looked happier once I stopped eating his fries.

About a half hour later we were home and in bed. It was only eight o'clock but it had been one long week. After I took my make-up off and washed my face and brushed my teeth I got into bed with Wade. As soon as I hit the mattress he rolled over and his arm fell across my side. His feet entangled mine and he was out of it. Since this was our nightly routine I'm not entirely sure he even knew he did it. And if you ask me that was the best part. Nights when he would out on hunting trips with Lavon or George were always the loneliest. I can never sleep with his body radiating heat and covering mine.

The next morning I woke up before him. It was odd because that never happens. More times than not it's the other way around. I wake up to him laughing at cartoons in the background. This time he was on his back, still passed out. I was laying across his body so I propped my head up on his chest and I couldn't help but stare at him. It sounds cheesy but watching Wade sleep for the first couple of minutes before I get out of bed is relaxing when I get the chance.

I sneezed on accident and his eyes popped open. He jumped, I jumped and we both started laughing. I tried to stop laughing but I couldn't stop, the situation was just too hilariously awkward. He looked me dead in the eye and with a straight face and asked me "Were you watching me sleep Doc?"

I used every bit of energy I had to give him a serious no answer but it didn't work. He started tickling me; first on the back of my thighs and then his hands sunk to the back of my knees. He knew I couldn't handle being tickled there for long and my arms and legs were flailing all over the place.

"Wade! Stop! WADE!" I was laughing hysterically and trying to get away from him but he had a grip on me I couldn't break. From my knees, his hands lingered back up my thighs but instead of tickling them it turned into just rubbing them. With that I gave him a serious good morning kiss the normal way, and then a kiss on his nose, chin, jaw, neck and collar bone. His hands moved further up my thighs until they gripped my ass under my panties. Game on.

Awhile later we were still lying in bed, talking about going over to Lavon's to get breakfast. Wade was listing off everything he wanted to make me for breakfast and after everything in Lavon's kitchen I had to slow him down.

"Biscuits and sausage gravy?" He asked. Ick. Too heavy…I shook my head no.

"Grits and eggs?" He asked next and I'm mostly sure he knew that was a no from the beginning. I may have adopted a lot of things down here so far but I sure as hell didn't adopt a liking for grits. And if I do then just shoot me.

"Okay, Cowboy. Whatever you want." I laughed and poked him in the chest.

"Pancakes?" He asked. "With bacon?" I think I saw him drool.

"That sounds amazing. First, there's something that I've wanted to talk to you about." I told him and he tightened up. I probably shouldn't have phrased it like that. Almost everyone gets nervous when a sentence starts like that.

"It's nothing bad. Just an idea. What would you think… if we stayed here? I mean you just renovated most of it to exactly what I wanted in a house. I love living here with Lavon and Lemon and it's a short walk to the Rammer Jammer and the practice…" I could have kept going but he interrupted me.

"Zoe, it's not that I don't want to live here. This is where I first met you, where I'd see you come out and poke the fuse box until it sparked and where you finally asked me to be your boyfriend. I love this place. But it's Lavon's. We don't own it. We can't renovate anything other than what he wanted me to renovate and best of all… let me remind you we don't even have a kitchen. Or two more of those bedrooms we wanted for all of our kids, remember?" He asked. He had a good point, but he didn't know the selling point.

"Well that's the thing.. What Lavon was going to tell you last night? He wants to sell the gatehouse to us. He wants us to make it our own in a location we already love." I was telling him all the reasons why it was a good idea when I noticed Lavon already had me convinced.

"What do you think? You don't want to move?" He asked like he was confused as to why I didn't want a new house.

"I thought I did, and I would love a new house. But for right now and this chapter of our lives, I'm still perfectly happy here. I want to live here…this is home to me. If you feel the same way I mean. I want you to be happy too." I told Wade, maybe he really didn't want to stay here.

He laid there thinking for what felt like the longest time. I had pretty much given up on the idea because he was so quiet. Staying here just wasn't in our cards I guess.

"Happy wife, happy life…right?" He smiled and I let out a jolting squeal.

* * *

**So what did you think? :)**


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